Flexible shutter and method of making same



l. FLORMAN FLEXIBLE SHUTTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 28, 1954 Fig.1.

gmmw. v Irving Florman Fig. 4.

Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED "STATES Application December 28, 1934; Serial No. 759,594 7 2 Claims.

1 This invention'relates to smallflexible shutters of the roll type for containers and the like and to the method of makingsuch shutters.

*Shutters :of this general type were heretofore constructed by separately gluing strips of wood on a flexible fabric backing, the strips of wood being laid on the fabric in parallel lines closely adjacent each other. ":Such a method was not only laborious and costly, but it required a considerable amount of skill, patience and time to effect it properly. Moreover, the final product was not satisfactory in many respects. When a shutter made thusly was flexed as when around the end. of a container or the like, the fabric between the sticks of wood always showed andpresented an unsightly appearance. 'For this and other reasons the use of such shutters on vanity cases, powderboxes, cigarette and tobacco cases and the like has not been frequent.

The present invention constitutes a distinct improvement over the old method and article produced thereby and avoids those disadvantages which are present in both. One object of the invention resides in making such shutters from plastic or liquid materials which later become hard and rigid. In carrying out the method any suitable material may be used which may be molded and which will become hardened and rigid. Such material when in a plastic or liquid state may be placed in a mold having one flat surface and a second surface comprising a row of closely spaced parallel edges separated by rounded concave grooves. The fiat surface and the second surface are spaced from each other so that the edges will not touch the flat surface. Any suitable mold may be used. After the material has been placed in the mold and allowed to harden into a unitary rigid piece, the flat surface formed has secured thereto a piece of flexible material such as cotton fabric or the like. The flexible material can also be cloth interwoven with metal strands or threads. It has also been found that the backing piece of flexible material may be secured during the molding step by placing the same on the flat surface of the mold prior to the insertion of the plastic or liquid therein. One more step completes the shutter. The rigid piece with its cloth or fabric backing is then made flexible in one direction by splitting open the cracks formed by the edges. This may be accomplished by any suitable means, for example, by hand. with a pair of pliers having rounded jaws.

By way of example the steps of the process and the article formed thereby have been illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal cross section of a mold for carrying out the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet as it comes from the mold.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the sheet after the backing has been applied. 1

Fig. 4 is across section of the finished product partially flexed. r

Referring now to Fig. 1, the reference numeral 2 indicates thelower 'half of a two partmold. This lower half presents a'perfectly fiat surface for the plastic material placed therein. The upper part 4 of the mold is provided with aseries of parallel edges 6 separated "by concave rounded parallel grooves 8. These grooves are of a width equal to the width of the individual members 9 of the shutter to be formed and which is shown completed in Fig. 4. After a sufiicient amount of the material to be molded has been placed in'the lower half of the mold in a plastic or liquid state, the upper half 4 is set in place so that the material enters the grooves 8 and the edges 6 are forced into the material.

As indicated above any suitable material may be employed for molding and this application is not to be limited to any one kind or group. For example, rubber, synthetic condensation materials, cellulosic materials, plaster materials, and the like can be used. Some of these materials come in powder or granulated form and may be placed in the mold in such form together with a suitable solvent. I have also found that some of these products may be made in the form of tablets or pellets which readily dissolve in water or other solvent. When such pellets are used considerable time may be saved since the number of pellets necessary to make a shutter of given dimensions is readily ascertainable. When this feature of the invention is utilized it is merely necessary to place the appropriate number of pellets in the mold. When the parts of the mold are put together the pellets are crushed. A suitable solvent may be used where necessary.

My invention also incorporates the use of any suitable substance or composition which may be poured into a mold as a liquid but which later becomes solid before removal therefrom.

It has been found expedient in some instances to attach a flexible backing to the shutter during the molding step. This is accomplished by placing on the flat surface of the mold before inserting the material to be molded a flexible piece of material such as cotton fabric or the PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE SHUTTER METHOD. 0

MAKING SAME Irving Florman, New York, N. Y.

gal

2 r like. During the molding step the material being molded will adhere to the backing so that the backing will become an integral part thereof.

The material after having the backing attached and after being removed from the mold is shown in Fig. 3 in which the rigid shutter is indicated by the numeral l0 and the backing member by the numeral I 8.

Where the backing is not applied during the molding step the shutter after becoming hard is removed from the mold and assumes the shape shown in Fig. 2 where it is shown as a rigid piece of material I0 having a fiat lower surface I2 and an upper surface made up of a plurality of parallel ridges I 4 having rounded .upper surfaces, and separated by wedge shaped grooves l6 which extend a little over half way through the piece The side edges of the sheet may be flattened as at I! for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The next step is to secure to the flat lower surface of the rigid piece II] a flexible backing member l8. This as'indicated above may be any kindof flexible material which will hold together, such as cotton fabric or the like. The

. rigid piece with the backing applied is shown in Fig. 3. Any suitable, adhesive may be employed.

The final step in the. method consistsv in rendering the rigid piece with its back, flexible in one direction. This may be accomplished by any suitable means. For example, it may be carers are usually provided with track members or grooves in which the flattened side edges I1 ride.

The shutters made according to the method described have been found to be satisfactory in every respect. They present an even appearance with no visible cracks even when the shutter is flexed. This even appearance occurs because of the close alignment of theridges l4. Because of the breaking step any irregularity in one of the ridges M will have a complementary irregularity on the next adjacent ridge.

The method as indicated above is simple, timesaving and eflicient. Moreover, it requires no skill whatsoever to carry it out and may be effected at a minimum cost.

Having described my invention by way of illustration, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

.1. The method of making a flexible shutter of the roll type which comprises formingaplastic mass while in a plastic state into a sheet having a flat bottom surface and an upper surface having a plurality of parallel ridges separated by narrow grooves which extend nearlythroughthe.

sheet, securing to the flat bottom, surfacea' backing of flexible material, andthen spreading the ridges apartafter the mass has hardened to crack the sheet at the grooves down to. the flexible backing.

2. A flexible rolltype shutter for small con} tainers and the like, comprising 'a sheet 'of I molded material having a flat bottom surface and an upper surface having a plurality of parallel ridges separated by narrow grooves, a sheet of backing. material secured to the flat bottom surface, 'said ridges having been spread apart to crack the sheet of molded material at the grooves down to said backing material.

mvmo FLORMAll. 

